Author: Hannah Jade

The lady behind The Dinner Bell! I'm that person who doesn't let you leave their flat without eating something, and will probably press a parcel of cookies or cake into your hands as you head to the door. I’m a sub-editor by day, avid book-reader by night, and octopus fan always. I've returned to Norfolk after eight years away, but little bits of my heart still belong to London, where I lived for almost fives years, and Sheffield, where I went to uni and finally lost my bumpkin accent.
Pecan paprenjaci // The Dinner Bell

Pecan paprenjaci

I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a while, since my enthusiasm for festive food got the best of me far before it was acceptable, but the tightness of my jeans indicates it is time.

These little darlings are based on traditional Croatian Christmas biscuits –  the inclusion of black pepper sounds a little odd but it gives a subtle warmth to the biscuits, which are similar to gingerbread and have a comforting softness to them.

As I inherited a slight walnut allergy from my mother, along with sturdy thighs and a love of food, I switched out the traditional walnuts in favour of pecans. I also used a tiny squirrel cutter instead of the wooden moulds they’d be made with in Croatia, because the tiny squirrel was too cute to resist.

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Desserts at Figbar, Norwich

Figbar, St John Maddermarket

Since NorEats launched, there’s been a set of questions people have asked, and until recently, the answer to “have you been to Figbar yet?” was a sad no. It had always been on the list, but a weekend with enough time to fully appreciate it hadn’t come around. When the time came, we grasped it – and a menu, and a hot chocolate – with both hands, and we were not disappointed. Continue reading →

The Little Red Roaster, central Norwich

It’s no secret that here at NorEats we’re suckers for a good coffee and a pastry. Throw in the words “locally sourced” and “homemade” and we’re 100% sold. And so it is with Little Red Roaster, the family of coffee shops that have some of the biggest croissants we’ve seen, in addition to an evolving seasonal menu. Continue reading →

The Ten Bells, St Benedicts

You can’t even look at advent calendars this year without seeing the word “gin”, so trendy has the juniper tipple become. Its popularity has exploded in recent years, with experts crediting the influence of bartenders, gin’s ubiquity in cocktails, and its short production time and versatility for the boom. Continue reading →

Jarrold Deli & Wine Bar

Jarrold Deli & Wine Bar, London St

There was a time in Jarrold’s history when the deli was hidden in a dingy corner, a small selection of local pastries and cheeses obscured by shelving, when cookware displays sprawled across the basement.

That slightly sad counter is very much a thing of the past, thanks to a carefully planned refit that’s expanded the shop’s offering enormously and created a swanky wine bar that wouldn’t look out of place in a posh London department store.

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Stoke Mill, Stoke Holy Cross

Technically, sitting 5 miles out of the city centre, Stoke Mill is just about out of the NorEats catchment area – but it’s just too good to leave off any respectable guide to restaurants in Norwich.

It’s one of those places you want to take all your out-of-town friends to. The restaurant offers fine dining served by friendly, attentive staff, but without the pretence or stuffiness that comes with many upmarket establishments. Continue reading →